Relax, Brides: Don't Believe the Hype About "Ring Selfies"

Women used to phone their best friends when they became engaged. Now, as we've been reading lately, the bride-to-be's first call is to her dermatologist to schedule a "hand job" (or hand-lift, if you prefer). It's not enough to diet to fit into her wedding gown; she needs to get her fingertips and wrists in shape for the newly important "ring selfie." Because appearances matter on Facebook.

Well, despite recent reports in the Daily Mail and The New York Times of women spending up to $3,000 for injections to plump wrinkled skin and laser treatments to fade brown spots on their hands, our survey of some of the busiest dermatologists in the country found no evidence of an actual trend. Not one could remember injecting a bride's hand, though mothers-of-the-bride are prime customers for hand rejuvenation. Even a diamond expert we spoke to expressed surprise when told of cosmetic procedures for better-looking hand photos. "I've never heard of it," said a saleswoman at a major diamond merchant (who requested anonymity).

Even if elaborate hand-lifts for better selfies were real, they wouldn't do a thing for perhaps the most important part of an eye-catching ring photo: the ring. The average diamond in American engagement rings is no larger than a good-size ear stud—1.1 carats, at a cost of $5,431. Demure stones can be lovely close up, of course, but in a selfie, they may look like pieces of glass. Ideally, a diamond should be photographed with a professional camera, an extra light source, reflectors, and filters that can add points of sparkle, says Erik Asla, a fashion photographer in Los Angeles and New York City.

But there is no need to hire a pro. If flaunting the ring in a selfie is a bride's goal, she can save a bundle by skipping the derm appointments and sending the selfie to one of the many digital retouchers who advertise on the Internet. For about $200, a retoucher can erase scars, veins, sun spots, and lumpy joints; correct skin color and texture; and even lengthen fingers—and make that diamond sparkle. Most brides' rings will never match Beyoncé's 18-carat sparkler, but they can all be made to look D-flawless.